Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and something that was said began to play over and over again in your mind?
It happened to me yesterday.
I was speaking with someone and throughout the conversation she kept saying things like, “I HAVE TO go do ____. Then I HAVE TO get ____ done. And after that I HAVE TO go ______.”
It wasn’t the person who was saying this that stuck with me. It was the phrase itself and the way it kept coming across in my mind. I use it all the time too but it just never stuck out to me as it did yesterday.
“I HAVE TO.”
If you think about it, “I HAVE TO” is actually quite negative. It signifies a duty, responsibility, and obligation or better yet… a chore that we don’t really want to do. In reality we should be using words that express our gratitude and thanksgiving for even the most mundane of things because, after all, there are many others in the world who are dying to do some of those things we feel like we HAVE TO do.
I think from now on I am going to try my best to replace “I HAVE TO” with “I GET TO.”
It’s in appreciation of even the simplest of things that we’re reminded of the grace we’ve been given and the joy that we should find in everything we GET TO do.
We’ve recently been receiving a great number of emails asking what the Live Like Jesus Movement is all about. Let me explain:
1. We’re Real - Real people from all walks of life, from all areas of the globe who are coming together to follow Jesus in a real and authentic way.
2. We’re Honest - We are human. We are flawed and in desperate need of an intimate relationship with Jesus to bring wholeness to our lives.
3. We’re Moving - We know that Jesus called us to more than a destination; He called us to a life. He called us to bring Heaven to earth, right here and right now by our actions and how we share Christ’s love with those around us.
Be transformed into Christ’s likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Become complete in Christ (Colossians 1:28).
In Jesus, we have a new identity and a new purpose for living. This new self is “to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). That doesn’t mean we are perfect… we’re human and all have faults. It simply means we are choosing to follow God with more than just our words… we’re following with our hearts, our minds, and our actions. Jesus showed us what God is like living in the flesh and our response is to be transformed into Christ’s likeness, to live like Jesus (as best we can). People will know Jesus through us not because of how loud we yell but because of how we love others, how we serve, and how we follow God in all aspects of our lives. We are not just hoping to be like Jesus in the next life — we are being transformed through Him in this life, right here… right now.
Are you ready to join the movement?
The church has left the building. You are the church. You are the movement.
[coming soon… resources to help you build your faith]
After Jesus had risen, when he appeared to the 11 as they were eating, He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved…” (Mark 16:15-16)
The scriptures are filled with references to water immersion or Baptism, such as the passage from John 3:1-5 (NIV Version) below…
“Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.”
A quote I read the other day sums it up well:
“The work of the cross is God’s offer of life…
Baptism is our acceptance.”
So what are your thoughts on Baptism? Have you been baptized? What was your experience?
If you haven’t been baptized, are you considering it?
“As the time approached for Him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And He sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for Him; but the people there did not welcome Him, because He was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they went to another village.“
I love this story because it is a great example of how man typically responds to obstacles and negativity versus how Jesus responds. John and James were upset. They wanted to destroy the villagers for rejecting Jesus with open arms.
Jesus on the other hand responded totally opposite. Not only did He show that vengeance was not the answer against the villagers, He rebuked (sharply corrected or disapproved) His followers for their actions. Jesus knew it was better to simply move on to another village, He turned the other cheek and moved on.
This passage is a great illustration of how we should deal with negativity, challenges and struggle. So what challenges do you face in your life that this passage could apply? Has someone hurt you? Are you dealing with a problem at home or work? Are you struggling with a question that you just can’t seem to find the answer to?
Post your comments below and we’ll join in a conversation together…
Take a look at the short video below. It’s only about 1 minute 40 seconds long. You may have to click the screen image twice for the video to start playing. After you watch it, share your thoughts via the “Comment” link below.
Now that you’ve watched it… what are your thoughts? This homeless man is an example of a neighbor in need. Perhaps not a neighbor by way of living next door but a neighbor in the sense of what Jesus meant when He instructed us to love our neighbor as ourself. Like the driver in the video… would you pass this homeless man by? Would you spare your loose change? Do you ever struggle with how to help those in need while also not feeling as if you are being taken advantage of?
I have to admit, when we placed our first post on this blog I never expected to have a visit from “The Antichrist”… at least that is what his MySpace page describes his occupation as.
In a personal back and forth email exchange, I found this man to be more than just an anarchist or rebel… I found him as a brother without the experiences of a relationship with Jesus that I have been so fortunate to receive. Does this mean he is wrong and that I am right or that I need to convince him to follow Jesus in a lengthy email… no, at least I don’t believe so. I believe that we are called to love our neighbor and not judge. We are called to let our lives be our greatest witness by how we treat other believers and seekers of truth. It’s not a debate as often debates just create more tension and animosity. We’re to let our relationship with the Lord shine through our actions and how we live. It’s between a seeker and God as to what they come to choose… we’re just to share the good news.
I’m thankful to everyone who took the time not only to share what it means to Live Like JESUS, as a believer, but to also engage in a discussion that we really could not have predicted if we tried. What it means to engage in a conversation with someone who not only doesn’t believe in God but who is down right disgusted with the Christian faith.
So this draws our next question… why do you believe in God?
Were you raised in the church? Have you had a personal experience you’d like to share that changed your life? How is your life different now than when you did not know Christ? What sustains your faith each day?
Click the “Comments” link below to share your thoughts. Remember, be real. We’re all human… at least I hope. It’s okay to have faults. It’s okay for us to have differences in opinion. We’re just a big family of people coming together to talk about things that matter and how we can all help each other live the life we were called to live.
In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus told his disciples to go and make more disciples… teaching them everything He had commanded.
To be a disciple means to be a pupil or a student but probably not in the way you or I might initially think. Students of Jesus were not sitting in a classroom with pen and paper or jumping on the internet to look up the square root of some crazy number. Students of Jesus where taught by following Jesus’ every move… a disciple in ancient times learned by mirroring their life after the life of their teacher. When Jesus called these men to go… He called them to teach others what they had learned. He called them to be real life examples of Jesus’ teachings to others. He called them to bring Heaven to Earth by teaching others to live the example He gave us to live. So, what does it mean to be a follower of Christ… not 2000+ years ago but today! Is it doing your part and going to church for an hour on Sunday? Is it dropping your 10% in the tithing bucket? Is it trying to be a “good person” by just refraining from being bad? Is there something more?
How can we live out our faith and become real and relevant examples of Christ in our schools, our communities, our workplaces and homes? Share some real world examples of what it means to you, in your pursuit to live like Jesus.
Click the “comments” link to share your thoughts or email your thoughts to info@livelikejesus.com
It’s okay to have faults. It’s okay for us to have differences in opinion. We’re just a big family of people coming together to talk about things that matter and how we can all help each other live the life we were called to live.
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